State Board of Education awards Early Childhood Block
Grants to schools and community programs Governors continued commitment
to Early Childhood results
in 102 programs receiving first-time funding

Springfield, Ill.  The Illinois State
Board of Education has awarded $30 million in 102 new
Early Childhood Block Grants to schools and Early Childhood
Education providers in Illinois. Governor Blagojevich
has increased Early Childhood Education funding by $30
million in each of the last three years, resulting in
a $90 million increase, bringing the Fiscal Year (FY)
2006 funding level to $273.2 million. The FY 2006 funding
increase will provide new support to 102 programs bringing
the number of state-supported Early Childhood programs
in Illinois to 964.

The Governors commitment to Early Childhood
Education is changing childrens lives for the better,
said State Board of Education Chairman Jesse Ruiz. As
a result of the Governors work, thousands of Illinois kids
now have access to quality pre-school programs that will
give them a great start on becoming successful lifelong
learners and high achievers in life.

Todays announcements follow the State Boards
successful outreach efforts this Spring when Gov. Blagojevich
called on the State Board to raise awareness about the
state funding available for Early Childhood Education
program support and to develop long-term strategies to
overcome barriers to pre-school access for Latino children.

In response to the Governors call for action, the
State Board, led by Chairman Jesse Ruiz, hosted a series
of meetings with Latino community leaders to raise awareness
of the availability of state pre-school funding. The State
Board partnered with the Ounce of Prevention Fund, Illinois
Department of Human Services and Action for Children to
support community groups in the funding application process.
Programs receiving first-time funding in FY 2006 include
school and community programs in Cicero, Elgin, Berwyn
and Aurora.

I am delighted to work with Chairman Ruiz in delivering
these services to the children of Cicero and Berwyn,
said Senator Martin Sandoval, (D-Cicero).

Illinois Early Childhood Program (ECBG) Program
is targeted to reach at-risk children from birth to age
five. Targeted populations include children from households
with low parental education or children in poverty. Children
are identified for enrollment based on individual screening
and assessment.

ECBG includes four initiatives. The largest is the Pre-Kindergarten
Program for Children at Risk of Academic Failure. The
other three initiatives are Model Early Childhood Parental
Training (birth to three years), Model Early Childhood
Parental Training (three to five), and Prevention Initiative
for Programs Offering Coordinated Services to At Risk
Children and Their Families (birth to three).

These grants show that Illinois is going the extra
mile to serve underserved families, said Harriet
Meyer, President of The Ounce of Prevention Fund. Less
than 36 percent of Latino 3- and four-year-olds are in
preschool, compared to 55 percent of white children and
61 percent of African American children. If we are committed
to providing equal opportunity and closing the achievement
gap, expanding access to quality early learning is clearly
part of the solution.

The FY 2006 funding includes increases of:

$16.9 million additional funding for downstate preschool
programs;

$11.1 million additional funding for Chicago Public
Schools;

$1 million for educational programs that will serve
more children birth to three years of age; and

$1 million to preserve preschool programs in downstate
districts that have cut local preschool funding.

Investments in early childhood education pay enormous
dividends in the long-term. Based on certain economic
returns like increased earning potential, decreased dependency
on social services and on the justice system, it is estimated
that society receives $7.14 for every $1 spent on early
childcare programs. That means the $90 million Governor
Blagojevich has invested over the last two years will
yield $643 million in savings over the lifetime of those
children.

Research shows that the sooner children have access to
a quality educational environment, the better their long-term
learning achievements will be. At-risk children who received
high-quality early education are 20 percent more likely
to complete high school and 41 percent less likely to
be placed in special education. In addition, at-risk children
who received high-quality early education are 42 percent
less likely to be arrested as a juvenile for a violent
offense, and will have half as many criminal arrests and
higher earnings and property wealth as an adult.

Illinois commitment to early childhood education
and its program quality continue to receive national recognition.
A national report, Leadership Matters: Governors
FY 2006 Pre-K Proposals, praised Gov. Rod Blagojevich
for his continued commitment to expanding pre-school access
in Illinois. The report described Governor Blagojevich
as a Pre-K budget hero for his push for pre-school
expansion despite difficult financial conditions. Fueled
by the Governors strong commitment to high-quality
pre-school programs, Illinois was recognized by the National
Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) as having
one of the strongest state-run, early childhood programs
in the nation. Illinois received praise for its financial
commitment and its program quality. Illinois is one of
only 13 states to require certification for its early
childhood teachers.